Amusement game apparatus



INSULATION \20 June 18, 1940.

L. A. DU RANT 2,205,060

AMUSEMENT GAME APPARATUS Filed Oct. 7, 1937 @LHK/ QMQM M Patented June 18, 1940 v v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AMUSEMENT GAME APPARATUS Lyndon A. Durant, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Raymond T. Moloney, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 7, 1937, Serial No. 167,741

6Claims. (01.273-118) The invention relates to an amusement game A further object is to provide means on the apparatus of the ball rolling type utilizing ball game board itself to indicate when and what bumped spring contact devices on a game table bumper is hit by a ball. as obstacle members. These spring bumper de- Other important objects, such as creating a h vices comprise a pendant cylindrical helical pleasing eye effect by providing illuminated spring disposed on a vertical axis above the game bumper springs; placing a lamp within the spring board, said spring constituting a contact element so that the coils will diffuse the light; and using in an electrical circuit including a portion 00- different colors of lamps, also will be important operable with a complementary contact element to note as the disclosure is more fully made.

) embedded in the game board. When the spring Briefly, these important objects can be achieved 10 is bumped by a ball rolling on the board, it is by placing a lamp either within the spring and momentarily flexed to close the circuit for em on the game board, or above the spring on the ergizing a suitable electrical auxiliary for score bumper support; in either event the lamp being registering purposes, or the like. included in the circuit with the bumper contacts It is desirable to use electric lamps in connecso that when the latter are pumped and ball 15 tion with ball rolling game obstacles. In the old closed the lamp will be turned on to designate pin ball structures such lamps, when carried on r to the player which bumper has been bumped. the game board, constituted impediments or ob- In the drawing illustrating practicable forms structions to the rolling of the balls. To avoid of the invention:

, the game board obstruction just mentioned de- Figure 1 is a general vertical sectional view m signers mounted the lamps on a back board exthrough the game board and an improved illutension of the game cabinet. This was objecminated spring bumper type of ball obstacle; tionable since the players attention would be Figure 2 is a top plan view of the bumper diverted to the back board instead of on the obstacle shown in Figure 1; p playing board. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, but 25 Where spring bumpers were used it was difilshowing a modified form of the invention; and, cult for the player to follow the bumpers hit by Figure 4 is a top plan view of the structure aball since there was nothing to indicate to him, shown in Figure 3. except by close observance, which bumper spring For both embodiments of the invention shown, .was engaged by a ball. the game cabinet structure is the same and com- 30 It is thus desirable to associate an electric lamp prises the usual cabinet l0 carrying a substanwith each spring bumper so that the player can tially horizontal game board or table II, which easily follow the game action, and in such a may be slightly inclined from the horizontal in manner that the lamps will not obstruct the game the well known manner to let balls roll gravitaboard and still permit the player to concentrate tionally thereover. The board I! is covered by 35 his attention on the game board where it a glass panel l2. belongs. The form of bumper obstacle shown in Figures More particularly, therefore, the invention re- 1 and 2 comprises an upright cylindrical support lates to an improved form of bumper contact or sleeve 13 suitably anchored in the board ll Spring Which includes a p o ve a nd caand extending thereabove, as shown. Surround- 40 tion whenever a bal bu p the p ging the support l3 and resting on the board or The main object of the invention s to provide table II is a spacer sleeve 14 for supporting at an improved bumper contact Sp g structure for its upper end a washer disk I5 serving to look a the purposes stated. coil or cylindrical helical spring IS in place under Another object is to p ov de a illuminated a cap I1, the upper edge of the support l3 being 45 bumper contact Spri ball rolling a Obstacle swaged over the cap I! as shown at Hi. This coil Still another object is to provide such a bumper spring i t pendantly upported d hangs pring in ud n an electric lamp Operable v y downwardly concentrically around the support time a ball bumps the Sp with the lower coil of the spring spaced above Another object is to locate these lamps for the the table ll, but having a vertically depending 50 bumpers in a manner not obstructing the game leg extension l9. board. This leg l9 extends down centrally into a car- Another object is to locate the lamp for each bon conductor ferrule 20 disposed in a conductor bumper on the vertical axis of the spring, either sleeve 2i embedded in the table I! by means within the spring or above it. of a bore formed in the latter. An electrical wire modifications of the examples disclosed which do for a circuit 22 is connected to the sleeve 2|, said circuit including a source of energy 23 from whence another lead 24 goes up the hollow support id for electrical connection to the terminal of the socket for an electric lamp bulb 25 screw threaded into the support 53, as shown. Because the support is also in the circuit it follows the spring i6 is likewise. Consequently the spring leg it represents one contact and the ferrule 20, ii the other, for completing the circuit 22, 24. When the circuit is completed as the result of a ball rolling on the table ii bumping against and laterally deflecting the spring these contacts engage momentarily to close the circuit and light the lamp which is carried by the support 13 on its axis and above the spring 2 A solenoid, or other electromagnetic device c may be included in the circuit to energized every time the contacts close, said device being useful in operating some auxiliary means such as a score register, as will be readily understccd.

In Figures 3 and a modification is shown in which the upright spring support is formed as a conductor bracket passed through the board or table it and secured at its under side as by screws 8, the upper end of the bracket carrying a cap 2Q held in place by a screw 3G. The cap carries the cylindrical helical spring 3! having the leg 32 passed down into the ferrule 21? and sleeve 25 as was used in figure 1. On the vertical axis of the spring 3i thetable il carries a socket 353 for a lamp bulb The socket in cludes a terminal held by a conductor plate The circuit 22 previously described is duplicated in this modification, and includes the solenoid battery and wire The wire 2% connects to the contact and the wire it goes to the socket for from whence current goes into supp in this form h within the spring 3i so diffuse the light oro pleasing manner. The support iii is cit-center relative to the axis of the spring. -Tfhen the contacts 3'2, 20 close as the result of a ball deflecting the spring, the circuit is closed to light the lamp 555 and operate the device in an obvious manner.

The manner of use and operation of the improved illuminated buznpers will now be clear. By using different colored lamps a pleasing lightup effect can be produced.

It will now be apparent that the structures provided achieve all of the desirable objects for the invention heretofore recited. As many of the improved bumpers may be used on a single table as is desired. One or both types may be used on the same table, if desired.

It is the intention to cover all changes and not in material respects constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. For a ball rolling gamehaving a table over which a ball is rollable and a cylindrical helical spring carried thereabove about an upright axis andforming one side of a contact switch, a contact carried on the board and forming the other side of the contact switch, said spring and contact being normally gapped apart in an electrical circuit closable when the ball rolling on the table bumps and deflects the spring to engage it with said contact, an electric lamp included in the circuit and rigidly positioned on the axis of the spring, said lamp being lighted when the circuit is closed and being of less size than the diameter of the spring, whereby the spring protects the lamp from being engaged by a ball when the latter bumps the spring.

2. For a ball rolling game having a table over which a ball is rollable and a cylindrical helical spring carried thereabove about an upright axis and forming one side of a contact switch, a contact carried on the board and forming the other side of the contact switch, said spring and contact being normally gapped apart in an electrical circuit closable when the ball rolling on the table bumps and deflects the spring to engage it with said contact, an electric lamp included in the circuit and rigidly positioned on the axis of the spring and over the spring, said lamp being lighted when the circuit is closed and being of less size than the diameter of the spring, whereby the spring protects the lamp from being engaged by a ball when the latter bumps the spring.

3. For a ball rolling game having a table over which a ball is rollable and a cylindrical helical spring carried thereabove about an upright axis and forming one side of a contact switch, a contact carried on the board and forming the other side of the contact switch, said spring and contact being normally gapped apart in an electrical circult closable when the ball rolling on the table bumps and deflects the spring to engage it with said contact, an electric lamp included in the circuit and rigidly positioned on the axis of the spring and within the same, said lamp being lighted when the circuit is closed and the coils of the spring diffusing the light from the lamp and the lamp being of less size than the diameter of the spring, whereby the spring protects the lamp from being engaged by a ball when the latter bumps the spring.

4. For a game comprising a table over which a ball is rollable, a hollow upright support carried on the table, an electric lamp carried by the support, a cylindrical helical spring carried by the support and forming one side of a contact switch for a normally open electric circuit included in the game in which circuit the spring and lamp are included, said spring embracing the support, and a contact forming the other side of said switch and operatively associated with the spring and supported by the table whereby a hall rolling on the table may bump and deflect the spring for engagement of a portion thereof with the contact to close the circuit and light the lamp.

5. For a game comprising a table over which a ball is rollable, an upright support carried on the table, a vertical cylindrical helical spring contact carried by the support above the table and forming one side of a contact switch for a normally open circuit included in the game and in which circuit the spring contact is disposed, said circuit including another contact forming the other side of the contact switch and carried by the table, the two contacts being proximately positioned in cooperative relation wherebythey may engage and close the circuit when a ball rolling on the table bumps and deflects the spring contact, and a lamp disposed rigidly on the table and .in the said circuit to be lighted, said spring surrounding the lamp to protect it from the ball.

6. For a game comprising a table over which a ball is rollable, an upright support carried on the table, a vertical cylindrical helical spring contact carried by the support above the table and forming one side'of a contact switch for a normally open circuit included in the game and in which circuit the spring contact is disposed,

disposed in the circuit to be lighted, the lamp surrounded by the spring to be protected from the ball thereby, the lamp further being rigidly disposed on the vertical axis of the spring and the support being located to one side of the lamp 5 and said axis.

LYNDON A. DURANT. 

